Known about it for a while (L2 Cygnus for proof, was working it as a rumor and waiting on an official response for reporting), but that shows the problem with holding for an official response. Still, I'd rather do that than blurt it out like the Wall Street Journal did.

Following a successful Antares launch for the recent OA-5 Commercial Resupply Services mission and subsequent rendezvous and berthing of the Cygnus spacecraft with the International Space Station, Orbital ATK has responded to NASA’s needs for enhanced schedule assurance for cargo deliveries and maximum capacity of critical supplies to the space station in 2017 by once again partnering with United Launch Alliance to launch Cygnus aboard an Atlas V for the upcoming OA-7 mission in the spring timeframe. The company will be ready to support three cargo resupply missions to the station next year, and will work with NASA to finalize the flight schedule.

The schedule provides margin flexibility for the entire Antares workforce, who worked tirelessly for the past several months to prepare and successfully launch the upgraded rocket from Wallops Island on the OA-5 mission. This plan also allows NASA to again capitalize on the operational flexibility built into Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft to assure the space station receives a steady and uninterrupted flow of vital supplies, equipment and scientific experiments. With four Antares launches from October 2016 to early 2018, together with the Atlas V rocket, this plan represents the company’s commitment to establishing schedules that are realistic and achievable.

Orbital ATK’s remaining missions to be conducted in 2017 and 2018 under the CRS-1 contract will launch aboard the company’s Antares rockets from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Great to see ULA getting some missions in a market that they were originally barred from competing in. Space launch is a small community. Always good to see companies work together to get the job done during tough times, especially with recent failures. With OA7, I wonder how much payload mass ULA will have taken to the ISS compared to Falcon 9 and Antares.

Great to see ULA getting some missions in a market that they were originally barred from competing in. Space launch is a small community. Always good to see companies work together to get the job done during tough times, especially with recent failures. With OA7, I wonder how much payload mass ULA will have taken to the ISS compared to Falcon 9 and Antares.

ULA wouldn't have been barred from this mission even under the old rules. ULA isn't providing a spacecraft, just launch services.

I believe the present scorecard has Antares at about 6t, Atlas about 7t, and Falcon about 16t of payload delivered to the ISS. OA-7 will take Atlas over 10t.

The company has not, as of now, finalized any arrangements, but I think I can share our viewpoint on this situation. As we're always doing, Orbital ATK has discussed with NASA how we can best contribute to beating the space agency's needs for space station cargo, particularly over the next 12 to 18 months while other cargo delivery options are in flux.

As part of this, we are now preparing to conduct four cargo missions over a 12-month period from early next year through early 2018 to provide NASA with maximum operational flexibility in view of the situation with the other cargo suppliers. But to ensure that we can achieve a higher-than-planned flight rate and to maximize cargo capacity on each mission, we may well decide to supplement the three Antares rockets that are currently in production with one Atlas launch during this time.

We don't want to overcommit to the flight rate that we can achieve over the next 12 to 15 months. And so we think for that reason it may well be prudent to supplement the planned Antares launches with a possible Atlas launch. And we'll have more to communicate on this in the near future.

Orbital ATK has contracted with United Launch Alliance (ULA) for an Atlas V rocket for the company’s next cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station. This will be Cygnus’ third flight atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Launch is targeted for spring 2017.

This mission is one of Orbital ATK’s previously awarded 11 missions under its first commercial resupply services (CRS-1) contract with NASA. Both the agency and Orbital ATK mutually agreed to use of the Atlas V in order to expedite the company’s seventh contracted resupply mission, and their CRS-1 contract was modified Nov. 8, 2016.

“We’re continuously working with all our partners on range availability, space station traffic and other factors to maximize utilization, operation of the station in a safe and effective way as we use it as our test bed for preparing for longer duration missions farther into the solar system, including the Journey to Mars,” said Kirk Shireman, manager, ISS Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and Orbital ATK continue to work toward the next Antares launch from the agency’s Wallops Flight Facilities in Virginia. Missions from that facility will resume with Orbital ATK’s eighth and subsequent resupply missions to the station next year.

Orbital ATK launched a successful flight Oct. 17 from Wallops on its upgraded Antares. By contracting with ULA for its next flight, the company will be able to meet NASA’s near and long term cargo needs.

“The schedule provides margin flexibility for our Antares workforce, who worked tirelessly for the past several months to prepare and successfully launch the upgraded rocket from Wallops Island on our sixth contracted commercial resupply services mission,” said Frank DeMauro, vice president, Orbital ATK. “This plan also allows NASA to again capitalize on the operational flexibility built into Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft to assure the space station receives a steady and uninterrupted flow of vital supplies, equipment and scientific experiments.”

NASA and its partners’ long-term planning for operating the station ensures that astronauts aboard the station are safe and have sufficient supplies. In addition to the recent Cygnus delivery to station, a Russian Progress and Japanese HTV will carry additional cargo to the orbiting laboratory before the end of the year.

NASA’s and the National Lab’s research and technology development activities continue aboard the space station. Keep up with the International Space Station, and its research and crews, at: http://www.nasa.gov/station

I'll have to get back to you with the answer, as the next 2 days here are holidays.There were 2 unassigned tail numbers in the "70's", and I know L-42 switched to AV-072, but I can't recall the other changes.